Container confining capsule



Oct. 17, 1967 PECH CONTAINER CONFINING CAPSULE Filed July 27, 1966 V INVENTOR ALLISON E. PECH F'I[3 El ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,347,154 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 3,347,154 CONTAINER CONFINING CAPSULE Allison E. Pech, San Jose, Calif., assiguor to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 27, 1966, Ser. No. 568,243 7 Claims. (Cl. 99359) ABSTRACT )F THE DISCLOSURE A two piece capsule defined by a cartridge having a large diameter portion with one end closed to container entry and the other end necked down to a small diameter portion having an end open to container entry. A carrier of the capsule movable between a position spaced from the cartridge and a position telescoped with the small diameter portion of the cartridge and including an open end and an end closed to container entry. When in telescoped position the cartridge includes means for holding one end of the container spaced from the closed end of the cartridge while the other end of the container abuts the closed end of the carrier to provide flow passages in the capsule to enable heat treatment liquid to rapidly drain from the capsule.

The present invention pertains to a continuous sterilizing system and more particularly relates to a capsule for confining a container therein when the container is being moved through the sterilizing system.

In Raymond J. Bell Patent No. 3,314,560, which issued on April 18, 1967, I cross reference my copending application which was filed on even date with the Bell patent. In my copending application which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, a method and apparatus was disclosed for sterilizing a product in containers, such as glass jars, wherein the containers are each confined in a separate capsule while passing through the heat treating portions of the apparatus, which portions are in the form of the well known reel and spiral type cookers and coolers. The primary function of the capsules is to assure that each confined container will be moved completely through the heat treatment portions of the apparatus even though the container might be broken by thermal or mechanical shock. Thus, broken jars as well as sound jars will be carried out of the heat treatment apparatus since they are each individually confined in a capsule.

Each capsule disclosed in said aforementioned application includes a full length cartridge which telescopes with a full length carrier. The cartridges and carrier are of different diameters and when rolling on the spiral tracks within the rotary cookers and coolers cause the capsule to tend to roll along a curved, rather than a linear path due to the dilference in diameters at opposite ends thereof. Such tendency of the capsule to curve causes each capsule to cock relative to its confining and guiding surfaces resulting in .galling between the capsule and the confining surfaces. This galling was noted to be especially damaging on the annular edge which defines the open end of the carrier because of the sliding engagement of this edge with the spiral tracks.

As described in said prior application, after the encapsulated containers were processed, the full length cartridge and carrier of each capsule were magnetically separated. Because one surface of the full length cartridge is magnetically attracted to the adjacent surface of the carrier during magnetic separation of the carrier from the cartridge, a non-magnetic shield was needed in the carrier to reduce the force necessary to magnetically separate the cartridge from the carrier.

It has been discovered that by reducing the length of the carrier so that its open end terminates at a point spaced from the spiral track and disposed substantially midway between the closed ends of the capsule, the nonmagnetic shield may be eliminated since the force necessary to separate the carrier from the cartridge is considerably reduced. It has also been discovered that by 10- cating the open end of each carrier at the approximate midpoint of the associated capsule, galling of the open end of the carrier no longer occurs, and accordingly, the life span of the capsuleis greatly increased and main tenance is greatly reduced.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved two-piece capsule for confining a container therein.

Another object is to provide a rotatable two-piece capsule having outer cylindrical surfaces of the same diameter.

Another object is to provide a two-piece capsule having the open end of one piece terminating near the longitudinal midpoint of the capsule.

Another object is to provide a two-piece telescoping capsule having the open end of one piece scalloped and terminating near the longitudinal midpoint of the capsule so as to permit rapid draining of liquid therefrom.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective, partly broken away, illustrating the position of a jar relative to a cartridge and carrier prior to being encapsulated within the cartridge and carrier.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical central section through the telescoping capsule of the present invention which is formed by the cartridge and the carrier, said view illustrating the manner in which the jar is confined therein and illustrating the capsule being supported on the spiral of a reel and spiral cooker or cooler.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away illustrating a second embodiment of the telescoping capsule of the present invention, which embodiment includes a carrier with an open end having a scalloped edge for permitting faster liquid drainage therefrom.

The improved capsule 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is intended for use in the sterilizing apparatus disclosed in my aforementioned copending application in place of the capsule disclosed therein, and reference may be had to said application for a complete description of the structure for loading and unloading the capsule.

The improved capsule 10 comprises a cartridge 12 and a carrier 14 both of which are formed on ferrous metal which may be magnetically attracted. The cartridge 12 includes a cylindrical body 16 having a large diameter portion 18 which is formed integrally with a reduced diameter portion 20 by a necked-down portion 22. The cartridge has its large diameter end closed to container entry by an end plate 24 provided with a central aperture 25, and has its small diameter end 26 open so that a jar I may be moved therethrough as indicated in FIGURE 2. In order to prevent damage to lithography on the jar cap,

three evenly spaced, inwardly projecting dimples 28 are formed in the large diameter portion 18 of the cylindrical body 16 and engage the neck of the jar I immediately adjacent the cap.

The carrier 14 comprises a short cylindrical body 30 which is the same in diameter as the large diameter portion 18 of the cartridge 12. One end of the body 30 is closed to container entry by an end plate 32 having a central aperture 33 therein and the other endof the body is open and terminates in an annular edge 34 that is disposed immediately adjacent the necked down portion 22 of the cartridge 12 when the capsule is in its closed, article confining position illustrated in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that the closed ends of the cartridge 12 and the carrier 14 defined by the apertured end plates 24 and 25 willprevent a container from moving therepast but will permit fluid passage therethrough.

It is a feature of the invention that the capsule 10 is constructed so that the annular edge 34 of the carrier 14 is positioned between adjacent coils 36 and 38 (FIG. 2) of the cooker and coolers spiral tracks 40 rather than in rolling contact with one of the spiral coils. Thus, frictional wear of the annular edge 34 is completely eliminated when the capsule is moving around the spiral tracks 40 of the several reel and spiral cookers and coolers which form the steril'uing apparatus through which the capsules are passed. It will also be noted that the cylindrical body 30 of the carriers is the same in diameter as the large diameter, portion 18 of a cylindrical body 16 of the cartridge, and that the difference in size between the reduced portion and the large diameter portions is at least twice the wall thickness of the carrier 14. Thus, since the diameters of both ends of the capsule are equal, the capsule will tend to roll along a linear path rather than roll along an arcuate path which would occur if one end of the capsule was smaller than the other end.

It will also be noted that the end plate 32 of the carrier 14 engages the bottom of the jar J, which jar is held from longitudinal movement toward the left (FIG, 2) by the dimples 28, and accordingly, holds the annular edge 34 spaced from the necked down portion 22 of the cartridge. Also, as clearly shown in FIGURE 2, the only engagement between the ferrous metal of the cartridge and of the carrier occurs along one tangential line of contact which is only about half the length of the capsule. Thus, during magnetic separation of the carrier 14 from the cartridge 12 by means fully disclosed in the aforementioned application, there will be very little magnetic attraction between the cartridge and carrier, and accordingly, very little force will be required to separate the two-piece capsule.

The capsule 10a of the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 3 is substantially the same as the capsule of the first embodiment of the invention, and accordingly, parts of the second embodiment which are equivalent to parts of the first embodiment will be assigned the same numerals followed by the letter a. The capsule 10a is identical to the capsule 10 except that the open end of the carrier 14a is provided with a scalloped edge 34a. thereby permitting a liquid heating or cooling medium to rapidly be drained from the capsule 16a past the necked down portion 22a of the cartridge 12a during processing.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the capsule of the present invention are of two-piece construction with the external supporting surfaces of both pieces being of a common diameter so that the capsule will tend to roll in a straight line. Also, the external separation point of the two piece capsule is disposed substantially at the longitudinal midpoint thereby positioning the, separation point out of contact with the capsule supporting surfaces within the cookers and coolers and also minimizing the magnetic attraction between the twopieces of the capsule during mechanical separation of the same.

While one embodiment of the present invention has been shown. and described, it will be understood that other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the present invention and the manner in which the same is to be used, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A container encapsulating capsule for confining and moving individual containers through heat treatment mediums comprising a cartridge having one end closed to container entry and one end open, said cartridge including a cylindrical portion of predetermined diameter adjacent said closed end connected by a necked down portion to a cylindrical portion of smaller diameter adjacent said open end, and a cylindrical carrier having a diameter equal to said predetermined diameter and having one end closed to container entry and the other end open and defining an annular edge, said cartridge and carrier being movable between a position spaced from each other for receiving and discharging containers therefrom and an article confining position in telescoping engagement for confining a container therein, said annular edge being scalloped to enable heat treatment liquids to rapidly drain from the capsule.

2. A capsule according to claim 1 wherein means are provided within said cylindrical portion of predetermined diameter for holding the confined container spaced from the closed end of said cartridge, and wherein the length of said carrier is approximately equal to one-half the length of the capsule when telescoped into the container confining position.

3. A capsule according to claim 2 wherein the difference in diameter between said predetermined diameter and said small diameter is at least twice the wall thickness of the carrier.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said container spacing means includes a plurality of dimples projecting inwardly within said cylindrical'portion of predetermined diameter.

5. A 'capsule according to claim 1 wherein the carrier is loosely received on said smaller diameter portion of the cartridge, and wherein means are provided within said cylindrical portion of predetermined diameter for holding the confined container spaced from the closed end of said cartridge for permitting free circulation of fluid and wherein the confined container projects outwardly of said open end of said cartridge to cause the closed end of said carrier to abut the container when in the container confining position thereby assuring that said annular edge will be spaced from said necked down portion, and said open end of said cartridge will be spaced from said closed end of said carrier to enable heat treatment liquid to rapidly drain from the capsule.

6. A container encapsulating capsule for confining:

and moving individual containers through heat treatment mediums comprising a cartridge having one end closed to container entry and one end open, said cartridge including a cylindrical portion of predetermined diameter adjacent said closed end connected by a necked down por-= tion to a cylindrical portion of smaller diameter adjacent said open end,'a cylindrical carrier having a diameter equal to said predetermined diameter and having one end closed to container entry and the other end open and defining an annular edge, said cartridge and carrier being movable between a position spaced from each other for receiving and discharging containers therefrom and an article confining position in laterally shiftable telescoping engagement for confining a container therein, and means within said cylindrical portion of predetermined diameter for holding the confined containers spaced from the closed end of said cartridge to permit free circulation of fluid of said open end of said cartridge to cause the closed end of said carrier to abut the container when in the References Cited container confining position thereby assuring that said UNITED STATES PATENTS annular edge W1ll be spaced from said necked down portion and that said open end of said cartridge will be 277,944 5/1883 Robmson 99-359 spaced from said closed end of said carrier to enable 5 4251646 4/1890 WYkOff 22O 42 heat treatment liquid to rapidly drain from the capsule. 507,778 10/1893 Bhts 99 359 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said 2,889,065 6/1959 Lawlol' container spacing means includes a plurality of dimples projecting inwardly within said cylindrical portion of WALTER A'SCHEELPHMW Examiner predetermined diameter. 10 R. JENKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER ENCAPSULATING CAPSULE FOR CONFINING AND MOVING INDIVIDUAL CONTAINERS THROUGH HEAT TREATMENT MEDIUMS COMPRISING A CARTRIDGE HAVING ONE END CLOSED TO CONTAINER ENTRY AND ONE END OPEN, SAID CARTRIDGE INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION OF PREDETERMINED DIAMETER ADJACENT TO A CYLINDRICAL PORTION OF SMALLER DIAMETER ADJACENT SAID OPEN END, AND A CYLINDRICAL CARRIER HAVING A DIAMETER EQUAL TO SAID PREDETERMINED DIAMETER AND HAVING ONE END CLOSED TO CONTAINER ENTRY AND THE OTHER END ING ONE END CLOSED TO CONTAINER ENTRY AND THE OTHER END OPEN AND DEFINING AN ANNULAR EDGE, SAID CARTRIDGE AND CARRIER BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A POSITION SPACED FROM EACH OTHER FOR RECEIVING AND DISCHARGING CONTAINERS THEREFROM AND AN ARTICLE CONFINING POSITION IN TELESCOPING ENGAGEMENT FOR CONFINING A CONTAINER THEREIN, SAID ANNULAR EDGE BEING SCALLOPED TO ENABLE HEAT TREATMENT LIQUIDS TO RAPIDLY DRAIN FROM THE CAPSULE. 